Immigration and homicide in urban America: what's the connection?

Abstract

Purpose – Despite the commonly held stereotype that immigration and crime go hand in hand, there are but a few studies that examine the relationship between immigration and crime across macro-social units, including neighborhoods, cities, and metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Even fewer focus on homicide, particularly homicide disaggregated by motive and circumstance. The current study addresses this shortcoming by examining the relationship between immigration and homicide across large cities in the United States.

Methodology – We extend prior work by disaggregating homicide into different “types” based upon motive and circumstance to determine whether immigration is linked not only to overall homicide rates but also to specific types of lethal violence that some suggest may be higher in places where immigrants are more prevalent.

Findings – Cities with greater immigrant concentration have lower homicide rates. There is a significant and fairly strong positive relationship between immigration and gang-related homicides.

Value – This analysis with disaggregated homicide adds to the findings that immigration is not associated with increased crime. Its finding of a correlation between immigration and gang-related homicides points to the next question that needs to be addressed with appropriate data.

Citation

Kubrin, C.E. and Ousey, G.C. (2009), "Immigration and homicide in urban America: what's the connection?", Mcdonald, W.F. (Ed.) Immigration, Crime and Justice (Sociology of Crime, Law and Deviance, Vol. 13), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 17-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1521-6136(2009)0000013005